J. Alan: Sandblasted Acorn with Ivorite (1532) Tobacco Pipe

The Acorn is a shape seen often from Danish pipe makers, and with the influence of Danish pipe design on American artisans, it's no surprise to see Jeff Gracik of J. Alan pipes fashioning his own renditions. That said, despite the Danish influence on his personal style, we haven't seen many Acorn renditions from Gracik. This particular one, though, fits wonderfully into his portfolio. The elongated stem, gentle transition, and canted bowl are all cues rooted in the Danish aesthetic, yet the slightly more muscular shank end and domed stem base are creative additions, often seen from American artisans.

Marked by smooth, supple lines, this piece from Jeff is a lesson is softness — the shank tapers gradually into the pinched transition, lending the bowl an even more bulbous, poised disposition. From there it inflates into a rim kissed by plateau to further the organic motif. For accenting touches, then, Jeff left smooth the innermost portion of the rim and adorned the shank end with a ring of creamy Ivorite, contrasting against the dark sandblast for a formal, dress pipe-like motif. What draws my attention most about this piece, however, is Gracik's elegant execution of the silhouette's bottom line. It runs sleekly through the shank, curling up the bowl's fore, grounding the composition. Adding to that, the slight bend of the vulcanite mouthpiece balances the profile — no small feat from Jeff, too much or too little bend otherwise throwing off the rest of the shape.